Giant vs Specialized

Neverlandland

Hi,

I'm buying a new bike, and it's my 1st road bike. I am currently looking at a 2010 Giant TCR advanced 3 (white) and a 2010 Specialized Tarmac comp. Both are pretty much the same price, just over the 2k mark.

I was wondering if anyone out there has any opinions on which would be the better bike/frame? I'm going to be buying it through the bike to work scheme.

I was originally going to buy a boardman bike, to keep the price down. Was about to buy it, but decided against it due to the Halford's salesperson.

Are there any other bikes (which are sold in dublin) that I'm missing for that kind of price? I'm not really into treks, and was looking around cyclesuperstore, but nothing really caught my attention. I saw a lovely felt z20 in eurocycles, but its an 09 model, and that's probably pushing it.

I suppose I'm probably better off getting a really good frame and lower standard wheels/groupset at the minute? if I was to get middle of the range everything, it may be harder to upgrade the bike over the next couple of yrs!

Thanks for your help!

murph226

Have you got any links to the bikespecs?

Neverlandland

Sorry, here are the links...

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/tcr.advanced.3/3885/36662/

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=45886&menuItemId=0

petethedrummer

You're in luck, if you buy cycling plus this month there's a bike of the year supplement for bikes in the £1000-2000stg.

There really is a huge amount to choose from.

petethedrummer

Neverlandland wrote: »

I saw a lovely felt z20 in eurocycles, but its an 09 model, and that's probably pushing it.

Is that the black frame with the bit of blue through it? I was sooooo close to buying one.

C3PO

The Felt has significantly better specs than the other two bikes and, given that it's your first road bike, will probably also be a more comfortable ride! That's where I'd spend my money!

Neverlandland

Yeah black and blue, it's a lovely looking bike. There's close to zero info on it online though

C3PO

Neverlandland wrote: »

Yeah black and blue, it's a lovely looking bike. There's close to zero info on it online though

Specs etc here;

http://2009.feltracing.com/09-catalog-switzerland/road/sportive-road/09-z20-int.aspx

One of my good mates bought one recently from Richie out in Long Mile Road and loves it. The full Ultegra and Askiums would do it for me and it looks great too!

fat bloke

Felt colour scheme is manky. That relaxed geometry looks pants too imo.

By far the best looking bike (in those pics and those colours) is the Giant. It's a great looking bike in the flesh (so to speak) too. I was actually thinking about buying one meself this time last year.

I thought with a 2k budget and last year's bike you'd do better than 105 though? Or do better than 2k. Maybe I'm wrong (obviously I am).

Neverlandland

The felt z20 is definitely nice looking, and it also has nice parts. However, I can't help but feel a little worried about the lack of information on the net regarding it. When I google it, this thread is coming up on the 1st page of results. Now I know that google search engines probably take location/personal website preferences into account, but still...

fat bloke

Neverlandland wrote: »

I suppose I'm probably better off getting a really good frame and lower standard wheels/groupset at the minute? if I was to get middle of the range everything, it may be harder to upgrade the bike over the next couple of yrs!

That's sound logic, and again points to the Giant for me. Looking at the Giant website there the TCR advanced 1, 2 and 3 are all identical framesets, except for colour. The difference between the bikes is wheels and groupsets.

Wiggle have it here for 1754 euro, but it disappears when you ask for delivery to Ireland. http://www.wiggle.co.uk/giant-tcr-advanced-3-2010/

The frameset is ca 1500. http://www.wiggle.co.uk/giant-tcr-advanced-frameset-2010/

And the advanced 1 was nearly a 4k bike in its day http://www.wiggle.co.uk/giant-tcr-advanced-1-2010/

So, imo you're getting a very high quality frame - shell out for a really nice set of wheels at a later date and you'll have a lovely machine. - Dunno about upgrading groupsets. People don't really do that, it's messy and expensive. If you think you'll be doing that, then, pony up no for the best groupset you want and can afford.

Like I said I came very close to buying a similar Giant myself - I didn't cos I was looking at 2010 prices in 2010, but I did a lot of asking around and talking to long time racers and lots of people spoke very very highly of TCR's, and of Giant. And a lot of them had voted with their own wallets and bought Giants.

-I bought a Felt . But an F series. The Z's do nothing for me.

fat bloke

Just thinking and googling more on it.

TBH, if it was my money. Considering what you can buy now second hand, I wouldn't be happy with anything less than full carbon and minimum Ultegra.

Planet-X's current deals on super light full Carbon frames and ostensibly full sram red groupset are astonishing:
http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/CBPXNAHMREDLTD/nanolight-high-modulus-sram-red-limited-edition

And then you can get lucky on the likes of this and find a place with one bike left in your stock and in your size and get a 3k+ bike for 2: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/pinarello-fp3-carbon-centaur-2010/

Here's another '10 Carbon with Ultegra: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/raleigh-avanti-carbon-race-2010/

I'd do a trawl of all the bike shops, know your size, tell em what you're after, see what they have or what they can get. There are really cracking deals out there on previous season's machines, especially when you're willing to lift your wallet above the 1000 euro btw scheme parapet.

Neverlandland

Thats a very good offer with Wiggle, cyclesuperstore are charging 2400 for it! pretty pricey methinks

fat bloke

Neverlandland wrote: »

Thats a very good offer with Wiggle, cyclesuperstore are charging 2400 for it! pretty pricey methinks

2400 with planet x gets you full dura-ace!!

CSS are taking the p1ss, but it's not like they have you over a barrel. It's old stock, they probably want rid. Go in with the wiggle price (if it's the bike you want) and make an offer.

Lemag

Neverlandland wrote: »

Hi,

I'm buying a new bike, and it's my 1st road bike...

..just over the 2k mark.

Are you sure that you want to spend that kind of money on your first road bike? If the size suits me I'll happily buy it off you at 50% after a month when you've realised that you don't like the sport I could always do with another one of these. Size 52 please.

fat bloke

Seriously. Is Boards.ie surreptitiously sponsored by Canyon?

I can hardly think of a thread where that link, or one similar to it, wasn't put forward as the solution to a bike buyer's problem!:rolleyes:

Lemag

fat bloke wrote: »

Seriously. Is Boards.ie surreptitiously sponsored by Canyon?

I can hardly think of a thread where that link, or one similar to it, wasn't put forward as the solution to a bike buyer's problem!:rolleyes:

If it's the best 'bang for buck' bike out there then why not bring it to the OP's attention. Anyhow, I was only saying that I wouldn't mind another.. as back up.

blorg

fat bloke wrote: »

Seriously. Is Boards.ie surreptitiously sponsored by Canyon?

I can hardly think of a thread where that link, or one similar to it, wasn't put forward as the solution to a bike buyer's problem!:rolleyes:

Used to be Focus and Planet X, Boardman also gets a frequent look in. Whatever is the best value at a particular time is generally suggested and Canyons have been excellent value in the last while... they also look very nice, better IMO than any of the previous Boards specials.

Personally for 2000 I would want light full carbon and full new 6700 Ultegra at a minimum, if not Red or Dura Ace, but I know my size and can buy online without worry.

OP also needs though to consider fit as a first bike so maybe worth trying out and buying in a physical shop even if you have to pay a bit more or get a lower spec. Dura Ace or a great frame will do you no good if the bike doesn't fit you.

The other big issue is to decide between standard, compact and triple. For a first bike I would say no to a standard chainset, so between compact and triple... which really depends on you, your use and priorities. I would lean towards compact but a triple does give you a bit more at each end and is a good choice if you will not be racing.

Neverlandland

I thought that I had replied to this, obviously not. Thanks for the replies, but the problem with the PX is, to be honest, I'm not mad about it's looks. I know aesthetics should only be 2nd to performance, but if Im spending a huge amout of money, it has to have the wow-factor for me. Of course there are people who wont like either of the bikes i mentioned and would rather the PX, but it's just a personal preference

petethedrummer

fat bloke wrote: »

Felt colour scheme is manky. That relaxed geometry looks pants too imo.

It looks sh!t in pics, but its lovely in the flesh. I didn't buy it myself due to the triple and my positioning slowly getting better that I might be able to buy an aggressive bike next time out.

If you do go for a Felt there's a bike shop in Dundalk doing them cheaper than Eurocycles. Well they were, last time I was in.

shamrock55

Lemag wrote: »

Are you sure that you want to spend that kind of money on your first road bike? If the size suits me I'll happily buy it off you at 50% after a month when you've realised that you don't like the sport I could always do with another one of these. Size 52 please.

do you work for canyon you seem osessed with them you mention them at every opportunity:D

Lemag

shamrock55 wrote: »

do you work for canyon you seem osessed with them you mention them at every opportunity:D

My apologies if my mentioning of Canyon wearies your eyes. This is a post where I'll make a concerted effort not to mention Canyon.

The more frequent posters here already know of the brand that one dare not to mention but if a new poster comes along enquiring about bike buying choices should Canyon not be brought to their attention just because it has become blasé to do so? They are less likely to be aware of Canyon as they are not sold in bike shops but only directly from their online store.

As blorg pointed out, Planet X and Boardman used to get similiar treatment here. If yourself and fat bloke weren't so new to this forum you might have known this. fat bloke linked a Planet X earlier in this thread, btw.

Also, I have two Canyon bikes. So, when I suggest them I can do so knowing that I have firsthand experience with them. My road bike before my Canyon was a BH which I could have recommended but the Canyon is much better. For pretty much all other bikes my advice could only be based on my knowledge of components, materials, bike geometry, set up and my subjective/useless opinion on the overall aesthetics of a bike along with online reviews of such bikes (which may be subjective/useless also). With a bit of googling the inquisitor could be privy to such information rather than starting up a thread here so what would be the point in me suggesting to them anything other than a Canyon or a BH?

lafors

blorg wrote: »

Used to be Focus and Planet X, Boardman also gets a frequent look in. Whatever is the best value at a particular time is generally suggested and Canyons have been excellent value in the last while... they also look very nice, better IMO than any of the previous Boards specials.

Ah the Skoda Octavia's of the cycling thread

blorg wrote: »

Personally for 2000 I would want light full carbon and full new 6700 Ultegra at a minimum, if not Red or Dura Ace, but I know my size and can buy online without worry.

Any sites you'd recommend blorg? I've got a list of about 8-10....
CRC, Merlin, PBK, Wiggle, Jedi, Bike24, shiney, parker
Will probably sell my current bike in a couple of months and get something nicer.

shamrock55

Lemag wrote: »

My apologies if my mentioning of Canyon wearies your eyes. This is a post where I'll make a concerted effort not to mention Canyon.

The more frequent posters here already know of the brand that one dare not to mention but if a new poster comes along enquiring about bike buying choices should Canyon not be brought to their attention just because it has become blasé to do so? They are less likely to be aware of Canyon as they are not sold in bike shops but only directly from their online store.

As blorg pointed out, Planet X and Boardman used to get similiar treatment here. If yourself and fat bloke weren't so new to this forum you might have known this. fat bloke linked a Planet X earlier in this thread, btw.

Also, I have two Canyon bikes. So, when I suggest them I can do so knowing that I have firsthand experience with them. My road bike before my Canyon was a BH which I could have recommended but the Canyon is much better. For pretty much all other bikes my advice could only be based on my knowledge of components, materials, bike geometry, set up and my subjective/useless opinion on the overall aesthetics of a bike along with online reviews of such bikes (which may be subjective/useless also). With a bit of googling the inquisitor could be privy to such information rather than starting up a thread here so what would be the point in me suggesting to them anything other than a Canyon or a BH?

nice responce:D

boege

I bought a Giant TCR Advanced (Gloss White - there is a matt white) last year for my son who races A3 for the reasons stated by Fat Bloke. It is a quality racing frame with upgrade potential. My son put a set of Wheelsmith hand build aerowheels (very light!) on it this year and it is very happy with the setup.

The 105 groupset is the only apparent disadvantage but for a first full year in racing I have been advised by many that it is more than adaquate.

I got the bike in the LBS in Limerick and when BTW scheme kicked in we paid around €1600 net.

There were cheaper bikes around without doubt but we were focused on a quality race standard bike for at least 2 years of racing and felt that the Giant offered the best overall package.